Tamil Nadu ration shops to sell 700 tonnes of onions in third phase

CHENNAI: The state government has procured 700 metric tonnes of onions for the third phase of subsidised sales through 8,914 urban ration shops and cooperative stores, with the vegetable to be sold at Rs 35 per kg, subject to a limit of 1 kg per ration card.

Minister for Cooperation Gandhi Rajan on Friday inspected the consignment that arrived at the goods railway terminal in Tondiarpet before inaugurating the sale.

The move comes amid persistently soaring onion prices, with the vegetable selling for more than Rs 50 per kg at the Koyambedu wholesale market, while starting at Rs 60 per kg in retail shops.

The government procured the latest consignment from the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) to continue supplying onions at subsidised rates and reduce the financial burden on consumers, particularly low- and middle-income households.

In the first phase, towards the end of August, the government procured 910 metric tonnes of onions through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and 65 metric tonnes from NCCF. The state government sold them through ration shops at Rs 35 per kg, following a limit of 1 kg per ration card.

In the second phase, the government procured 1,414.33 metric tonnes through NAFED and 460 metric tonnes from NCCF for sale at subsidised rates.

Onion prices rose from Rs 20-Rs 25 per kg in July to Rs 30–Rs 35 per kg in early August before crossing Rs 50 per kg by the end of August, owing to a shortage in arrivals.

Additional Registrar (Consumer Affairs) K Tharpagaraj, Cooperation Department officials and representatives of cooperative societies were also present during the launch of the third phase.